Sky World
by Draconian Calocor
Summary: A world broken by a cataclysmic event. Hunted by enemies near and far. The great azure sky awaits, and we are there to answer it. Warning GirlxGirl AU SteamPunk/Victorian pirate age, Cori fic
1. Chapter 1

******I sent my other version **of this to the incubator room and I sat there with it and we worked out our differences, and then I killed it because I hated it. So I made this version, which I feel is much better. Anyways enjoy. 

**Also thanks to waitwhathuh for pointing out that the character transitions were difficult to notice, you made me realize i hated the way i had wrote it so, this ones for you mate! XD**

**Warnings- Girl x Girl, drug use, alcohol, swearing, etc. etc. Also some character may be OOC to some extent; I'm trying to work it so there still them, just yah know… pirates.**

**As always reviews = love, cookies, and puppies vomiting rainbows onto flowers with glitter. GAG, VOMIT, STAB SELF IN FACE**

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The hazy smoke hung heavily in the dimly lit tavern, the windows, caked with grime, barley let in sufficient amounts of light to even illuminate the inside of the small building. Several gas lamps mounted on the walls burned dimly only serving to complete the seedy feel of the building. The dark wood floor and low rafters only added to the oppressive feel. The patrons of the tavern were no less shady looking, consisting mostly of men bearing large scars, tattoos, and weaponry on their person. Knives, cutlasses, pistols and the like all poking out of their various holsters and scabbards. A bartender, face pale and weathered with age, quietly wiped a grimy rag across the wooden surface of the bar. Occasionally he would move off to fetch another drink for a patron who had mumbled out a request for more, but for the most part nothing moved in the smoky haze.

The entire feel of the tavern was one of exhaustion and depression, for at this time of day the tavern sported only those whose wish was to drown their worries in the demon drink. Several took drags on pipes of various contents, exhaling the thick smoke into the air of the darkened room. The small amount of murmuring that prevented the entire room from being blanketed in silence was silenced instantly when the door to the tavern was opened. Light spilled into the room illuminating the tired and defeated faces of the patrons inside as they all glanced toward the source of light interrupting the heavy atmosphere enveloping the room.

A tall, dark skinned man stood in the door way, eyes searching the darkness as though looking for something he was only half interested in finding. With a sigh he walked into the tavern closing the door behind him, snuffing out the light and returning the tavern to its silence and its smoke. The man strode up to the bartender, who was looking up from his counter, and leaned on the bar with an annoyed expression plastered on his face.

The bar tender glanced up at him, taking stock of this newcomer to his domain. "What'll it be?" he voiced in a gruffly to the unknown man leaning on his bar.

"Nothing, but I am looking for someone who came in here." The dark skinned man replied smoothly.

The old man looked the stranger up and down, inspecting him. He dressed no differently than the rest of the dregs who occupied the seats surrounding them. His face was that of a young man, not much older than a boy really. His hair hung in loose dreadlocks and his face was free of scars or pock marks. His clothing wasn't much different from what people who resided here usually wore either. Loose canvas shirt loosely buttoned, threads splaying in areas that had seen too much movement, baggy trousers, faded and black, and leather boots, scratched and worn with age. With a scratched scabbard holding a cutlass, and a flintlock held in his leather belt, the dark skinned stranger certainly looked as though he would fit in, in a place such as this, but as the old bartended looked in his eyes he could see that they contained the spark of life that so many of these sad, broken men did not.

"Figures, well then if you're not drinking who is it yah want?" The bartender replied a frown creasing his withered features.

"I'm looking for a woman. She came in here a while ago, tall, tan skin, red bandana. Ring any bells?" He asked, giving the old bartender a hard look.

A crooked smile worked its way onto the old man's features as he said "Yeah that one, yeah she's still here. Somewhere in the back I think, she stormed in ordered two bottles of the hard stuff and hasn't made a noise since. I think you'll find her table in the back somewhere. She yah wife or something?" He asked smile still planted firmly on his face.

The stranger gave him a pained look, "Not on your life." This caused the old man to let out a hearty chuckle, revealing his black and crooked teeth, before nodding his head in understanding.

"Well she already paid, so you're free to drag her back to wherever she came from." The old man grunted, smile never leaving his face even as he turned his attention back to the grimy rag and counter.

With a simple nod of thanks toward the bartender, the young man strode to the back of the tavern. Here the smoke was not as thick, but the light was even worse; plunging the entire area into semi blackness. There was only enough light to see the area directly in front for a few feet and not much more than that. Glancing about in the dark, the man noticed a thin form slumped over a table, one arm loosely gripping a bottle, the other hanging limply at the figures side. With dark grumble the stranger walked over to the unconscious figure.

Stopping at the side of the sleeping figure, the stranger took a closer look to make certain of who it was. A red bandana held the woman's long brown hair back from her eyes, which were closed in a drink induced slumber. Her face would have been smooth had it not been for the grime encrusting her face along with a steady trickle of drool running from the corner of her slightly open mouth. Crinkling his nose in distaste the dark skinned stranger looked her over, her entire being smelled of the booze she had been indulging in. Everything on her smelled of it, from her leather vest over the canvas shirt, to the baggy white pants still damp from spilled alcohol, even her boots had small droplets of the demon drink clinging to them.

With a frown, the man took the woman's shoulder and gave her a quick shake, nothing. His frown deepening, he took a hold of both of her shoulders and shook her violently while hissing "Captain Vega, wake up!" The captain remained dead to the world however and the young man was getting fed up with this ridiculous diversion, "Tori wake up damn it!"

However, Captain Tori Vega was not willing to wake up, why she would want to when the dreamless sleep that the drink had provided was so much more comforting than the harsh reality of the world. However the shaking would not stop, and someone was calling her name, so with a weary grumble she cracked open one eye to look at whoever had so rudely interrupted her wonderful sleep.

"Uhg, what the hell do you want Andre?" She grumbled unhappily from her spot face down on the old wooden table.

She looked up at him from her odd angle at the table and she could easily see that he was angry with her despite the near total darkness. 'Ohh boy here we go' she thought glumly 'I'm going to get lectured.'

"I'm not going to waste my breath yelling at you, I know it won't make any difference to you." He grunted as though he had simply read her mind. frown ever present on his features. "Either way, Robbie sent me to tell you that the repairs to the ship are complete so we can set sail as soon as the hanger gives us clearance."

"Well that's good, guess I got to get up now huh." Tori said a sheepish grin on her face, which was still firmly planted on the table; it wasn't even a question. She knew that regardless of how she felt she was going to be taken back to the ship one way or another.

"Good guess." Andre said a smile tugging at his lips.

Despite the fact that Tori knew Andre hated her when she drank, he was still loyal and a good friend when it came down to it, and he hadn't left her out in the cold yet, though It was probably best not to push her luck. Who knows, maybe one day she would wake up in a gutter with her ship and crew gone, having finally given up on her entirely, but best not to dwell on such thoughts. With a groan and the cracking of joints stiff from being stationary for such a long time, the brunette stood up from the table and stretched. This caused the rest of her joints to pop back into place with satisfying clicks.

"All right, let's go." With that they both headed for the door, receiving only a curt nod from the barkeep as they exited his establishment.

The midday sun smashed into Tori's eyes, causing her to wince in pain from the prolonged darkness she had been sitting in for so long. She could tell that Andre had noticed and was most likely smiling at her pain; after all, in his eyes it was rightly earned. With a grumble the captain covered her eyes and continued to walk down the street. The entire area was bustling with activity as the rush of midday came to the streets of the city. What city it was Tori could barely recall, she was too busy trying not continuously wincing from the bright sunlight streaming down onto the city.

"Do you even remember where we are?" Andre voiced to her right.

"No, so mind helping me out."

With a sigh, Andre shook his head, "Bastion, remember? Flying city, pride of the empire, docking yard for her majesty's royal air force, this ringing any bells."

Tori suddenly understood why Andre had been rather eager to leave as soon as the ship had been repaired and refueled. In the past they had had… disagreements with the sailors of the royal air force, and neither was eager to participate in anymore such engagements. As such they quickened their pace slightly, while still attempting to enjoy a nice day. For indeed it was a very pleasant day, the sun shone without a cloud in the surrounding sky to obscure it, while a cool breeze blew through the massive flying city.

The city itself was a marvel of modern technology; thousands of steam generators powered the hundreds of massive turbines that kept the city afloat and mobile. That combined with the fact that the city contained not only the docking yards for the royal air force, but the naval college as well.

'Not a good idea to hang around here for too long' Tori thought with a little shiver of dread.

It did not help that she had left the ship already more than a little tipsy, and had completely passed out after the first couple of swigs of the liquor. After that, well she had been so rudely awoken by her rather angry first mate. All in all it could have been worse, she could have woken up in a cell, and Captain Vega was more than content to simply enjoy the day. The sound of merchants selling their wares, and the yells of street children as they ran about filled the air with a sense of life. The smell of fresh food and baking goods, invaded the senses setting them alight with the simple pleasure of their pleasant aroma.

"Yah, know Andre, I got a good feeling about today." Tori said with a smile at the sky, as they passed near the College.

"VEGA!" a voice behind her cried out.

Spinning around Captain Tori Vega stopped dead in her tracks, eyes widening in shock. "Andre, run!" She shouted.

"What?"

Tori pushed past Andre and began to sprint through the market district at a dead sprint, "Run you idiot!" She shouted behind her as she pushed through the crowd. As she ran, Tori cursed her luck 'Why, why, why did he show up! This is really bad, I need to get out of here now!' she though grimly as she ran down the bustling streets. Things would not turn out well, this, Tori knew all too well.

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_The dark walls of the cell were cold and cruel, letting no light seep into the room to warm it. The only illumination coming from a wall mounted torch, burning dully in the small cell. The unnatural shadows it caused flickered about on the walls like demons dancing just within the edges of vision. The sound of shifting cloth against stone was the only sound that was audible in the dead silence of the room. _

_On the floor lay a young girl, her hair a shock of scarlet. Her skin pale from lack of sunlight, so as to be almost translucent, save for the small cuts and bruises that littered her body. A testament to the abuse she had suffered in the dark stone halls of the prison in which she was trapped. The shadows of long dried tears stained her dirt encrusted skin, her eyes open yet not seeing. She shifted once more as though to attain some small comfort from the unforgiving stone. _

_Her brown eye's slowly shifted about in her head, taking in the sights of the cell door as it lay in the wall; a vicious sentinel to her pain. Her eye's listed to the side to focus once more on the torch, for it was the only object in the cell that she could attest to comfort. She lay there on the stones simply watching the demon's dance in the shadows and wishing she could simply disappear into the shadows to join them. Join them in there dark revelry, and be free to simply disappear before the light. _

_However the fantasy was soon interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps, a small smile creasing the girls face. She knew what the footsteps meant, she had learned very quickly what they meant, pain. She was strong however, no matter how much they beat her, no matter how much they cut her, and she would not break. That would give them satisfaction and she refused to give them any such thing. The soft jingle of keys signaled the opening of the door; she closed her eyes to block out the shafts of light that flooded her shadowed cell. The dancing shadows retreating to the far corner as the light invaded everything. So she lay there, and waited for the pain and misery to overtake her, but it never came. Instead a voice pierced the former silence, shattering it._

_"This is the one?"_

_The voice was smooth and somewhat comforting, yet it held a sense of authority to it that almost demanded attention. The girl opened her eyes a fraction at the sound, confusion at the lack of violence. Instead she was greeted by the shadowy figure of a tall man who stood before her. A soft smile crept on to the man's face as he looked down at her. _

_"Yes sir." A voice from behind spoke, however from her position on the floor the young girl could not see who it was who had spoken. _

_The man nodded and stepped into the cell, blocking out the light and returning the cell to the dark. However she could see his face and he was smiling, but it wasn't the vicious smile her captors wore when they beat and broke her body. This smile was genuine and soft, a warm comfort after so long in the dark, so very alone. "Good." He said softly, extending his hand to her. _

_"Hello little cat, my name is Beck. Would you like to leave this place?" He asked, the warm smile never once leaving his face. _

_Thousands of thoughts ran through her head, and for the first time since she had entered the cell, her eyes held the spark of life in them. However there was only one answer to a question such as this, and it was the only choice she had; the smile on her face grew slightly at this thought._

_"Yes." She said in a voice so soft and strained from disuse that it came out a nothing more than a whisper. She looked at his gloved hand briefly before, taking it. This was her only choice, and she would rather die than let it pass by, so she went, went with this strange man into the light. She would be damned if she gave them satisfaction, for they would never break her._

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Sunlight streamed through the blinds of window leading into an immaculate office. The carpets were of a deep crimson, with an ornate hardwood desk as the center piece of the room. The desk itself was a marvel, for its wood had been carved in such intricate, swirling patterns it was impossible to tell where one loop began and another ended. Atop the desk sat only a few objects, a pen and inkwell sat off to the right side, perfectly spaced. In the very center of the desk lay a single piece of parchment, centered exactly in the center of the desk. A well-worn, high backed brown leather chair was positioned at the desk, lending the room and almost imperial feel. The walls, a light cream color, were spartanic save for a coat of arms directly behind the desk, consisting of a white hawk aimed upwards with two blue swords crossing behind it over a shield with a white and blue lining around it.

The room was immaculately clean, almost to the point where it seemed as though not a single person had ever set foot in the room, and no dust had ever settled on any object in the room. The only entrance to the room was a large hardwood door, large and imposing, as if to dare any to trespass against it. All was peaceful in the room, serene some would say, that was until the door to the room burst open.

A young woman with a shocking red hair stumbled into the room, kicking the door shut behind her. Her face was pale and smooth, almost sculpture like. Her crimson hair was ruffled and obscured her eyes as she staggered about the room with a lop-sided grin on her face. She wore a uniform set of clothes, a deep black frock coat and white trousers, complete with brown leather jack boots. On the shoulders of her frock coat were epaulets with a sigil of a sword with two golden bands running horizontally across it.

She staggered forward a few more feet from the door, colliding with the desk and collapsing against it sending the parchment fluttering across the carpeted floor and causing the inkwell to fall on its side. The girl began to giggle slightly as she lay there sprawled across the desk. She began to laugh as she fell from the desk to the floor in a crumpled heap, where she laid motionless save for the movement of her chest as she continued her fit of laughter. Her entire body went limp with a sudden shake, letting a metal syringe fall from her grasp where it lay on the floor, gleaming dully in the warm light. The woman giggles slowly eased, and her breathing lightened, eyes slowly sliding shut. With a peaceful look on her features, she lay asleep under the warm rays of the midmorning sun.

_"Cat."_

A voice broke through her dream filled slumber, disturbing the peace she was so very much enjoying.

_"Time to wake up little kitten"_

"But I don't want to" she mumbled.

"Cat, wake up now."

This wasn't the voice that she had heard before; this one had authority behind it, but was at the same time smooth and reassuring. She knew this voice well, which was why she wearily opened her eyes and glanced up. A small, almost apologetic smile crossed her lips.

"Sorry about the mess Admiral Oliver." She mumbled turning her gaze back down toward the carpet on which she lay.

The Admiral glared down, hazel eyes shifting with emotions, with a frown on his face for a moment before letting out a tired sigh. He ran a hand through his hair, pushing some of the dark brown hair behind his ears as he rubbed his face tiredly. Cat refused to look him in the eye; if she did she would see the look of disappointment and sadness that haunted his gaze every time he saw her like this. She knew he blamed himself for letting this happen to her, but she didn't blame him. She had gone in search of a way to forget, and she had found it, but now she was slowly killing herself with it.

"Cat, do you need some time?" Beck asked, the sadness in his voice making her flinch.

She hated thinking that she was the cause of this sadness, not when he should be happy and content. He had everything a man could desire, he was powerful, in charge of the entire royal air force, wealthy, noble, and he was to be married to the Queen herself. Yet here he was worrying over her, it almost made her smile at how ridiculous it sounded. He had saved her from that horrible darkness and this was how she repaid him… but now was not the time to think about this.

With a groan she rose up from her spot on the floor and dusted of her ruffled uniform. Glancing back at Beck she placed a happy smile on her face before cheerfully saying, "Don't we have somewhere to be?"

She could tell he was in no way fooled by her happy persona, but he chose to ignore it. For what reason she was not sure but she chose not to press the matter. With another small sigh Beck nodded in agreement before opening the door for her and gesturing for her to exit. However before she could exit she was blocked by the scabbard of a cutlass. Glancing up at the Admiral her face contorted into a masque of confusion.

"If my 'bodyguard' keeps forgetting her weapon, what will happen if I happen to get attacked?" He said, a smile pulling at his lips as he emphasized bodyguard as though he was about to laugh at any moment.

A sheepish smile ran onto Cat's face as she took the sword and fastened it to her waist. "Sorry."

He rolled his eyes in response and walked out the door, as Cat followed closely behind him. "It's fine, but at least attempt and remember the important things next time."

They quickly left the room and walked through the silent halls of the empty building. The halls of the air yard were normally bustling with people, but with a training day called most were off at their respective posts. As such the wooden floors echoed as they strode through the white walled halls. They quickly found their way to the grand entrance hall, which was a sight to behold empty or not. Grand windows of glass flooded the room with light, reaching almost to the ceiling. Tall pillars adorned the walls supporting the massive rafters and flying buttresses. Leading up to the second floor of the building were a set of dark wooden staircases set on either side of the room.

A tall statue made of pure brass stood in the center of the room; it was a casting of the alleged founder the royal navy, Sir Edward Peirce. In all honesty Cat though he was a rather intimidating man, even if he was a simple statue. With a hawk like nose and beady eyes he looked more like a bird of prey than a sailor. That combined with his slicked back hair made him look as though he were hunting all those who entered these halls under his eternal gaze.

Cat couldn't help but let a small shiver pass through her as she passed underneath his watchful eyes. However the chill was soon replaced by soft warmth as they left the building through the grand double doorway. The smile the red head wore became a one of genuine delight as the cool breeze blew through her hair. She would have loved to have just stood there all day and enjoy the day, but Beck had continued walking and she had to race to catch up to him.

"Umm, where are we going again?" Cat voiced, curiosity overtaking her in a flash.

"I have a lecture to give at the college; however I had to come find you first." Beck grunted without missing a beat, and continued to walk at his brisk pace. Cat nodded her head in understanding; she had known about the lecture but had simply moved the information to the back of her mind.

She turned her attention to the sky as they walked, content with watching the clouds slowly clump together to form shapes that the mind was free to interpret. However her daydreaming was cut short when she bumped straight into the back of Beck's coat, seeing as he had stopped dead in his tracks. She was about to ask why they had stopped when she glanced at his face and saw it twisted in anger. Following his gaze, the red head quickly spotted what it was the Admiral was watching. It was a tall, slim woman with a pretty face, wearing a red bandana and walking with a dark skinned man. They were walking a good hundred feet ahead of them, and seemed to be doing nothing wrong as far as she could see. She could also see nothing out of the ordinary with them save for the weapons at their sides. She was about to ask what the problem was when Beck's voice boomed out, loud and angry.

"VEGA!" he shouted at the top of his lungs.

The women turned to look at them, and even with the distance that separated them, Cat could see the look of shock spread across the woman's face. With a shout she took off running her companion quickly rushing after her. She turned back to the Admiral question on her lips but remained silent when she saw the Admiral's face. Calm, cool Admiral Beck Oliver was shaking with anger.

"You can't run Vega, not anymore." She heard him hiss under his breath. Just who was that woman?

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**Lurv you guys, review and comment and what not, also helpful criticism is always enjoyed.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Well here is the next chappy. It's a little more action than the last one, Cats portion is also slightly smaller than Tori's but not by much. This one is also a little explanation heavy so Beck gets to ramble on for a bit about stuff. **

**Anyway, enjoy, also for all you people who do read this, it means a lot to me. While I have only received on review I really don't mind, Im having way to much writing this to really care. Anyway on with the show!**

**oh and one final note, if anyone could point out grammar errors that would be great. I do check it, but sometimes I miss things.**

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To say that being woken up by a less than pleased first mate, and then having to deal with the effects of a hangover were on the top of Tori's "List of Things I Enjoy" would be a downright lie. It would lie somewhere around getting chased by angry sailors and getting shot at, and wouldn't you believe it, she got all three in the same day. "I have the worst luck in the world!" Tori yelled as both she and Andre dashed through the packed streets and alleyways that made up the vast market district of Bastion.

"Less talking more running!" Andre yelled from beside her as more shots rang out after them.

The sailors that had been sent after them by Admiral Beck were more than a little trigger happy, and were unloading whatever fire arm they had at the two. However despite all this they had somehow not managed to hit anyone as far as the two could tell. Not wanting to push her luck any more than it had been stretched presently; with that in mind both Tori and Andre continued to push, shove, and dodge past anyone who got in there way. It didn't help that the market was bustling with people out and about. Men and women walked about the area, inspecting the odds and ends that various merchants sold. Stand owners bellowed their prices in loud voices and children screeched as they ran through the market. It would be a nice day, save for the screams and shouts that accompanied the gunshots and cursing.

As Tori ran she couldn't help but wish she didn't feel as though she were about to vomit. The meandering pace she and Andre had been walking at hadn't upset her stomach and her head had only throbbed on occasion. However at their current break neck pace, her head had begun to pound at such an intense rate that she feared it might split open. Ignoring it as best she could, Tori focused on the task at hand which mainly involved running the hell away from the goons who were pursuing them.

'Where's the god damn hanger when you need it!' Tori growled inwardly as they raced through the streets.

The building in question was where they had docked the air ship before setting about on their own various quests. For Tori it was a matter of finding the closest source of alcohol that was Navy free, however this had in turn lead her a good ways away from the ship itself. A fact she was now regretting as they rounded another corner onto a less busy street than before, having left the market behind. However this meant that the soldiers chasing them now had a much clearer line of fire. Thankfully none of the soldiers apparently knew how to properly aim a gun as they continued their stream of curses and missing.

Starting to become short on breath from running at such a fast and continuous pace, Tori silently berated herself from getting out of shape and vowed not to let it happen again. Although she more than certain she was simply telling herself what she wanted to hear. However as if by some miracle the hanger came into view. It was almost as if the god of laziness had heard her plight and given the brunette a sign of better times. Glancing behind her however caused her to move at an even faster pace than before, mainly due to the large amount of people who had apparently shown up out of thin air to pursue them. Tori saw a brief flash of red hair as she turned her head back to focus on their intended goal but paid it no head as they charged for the open doors of the vast metal hanger.

The hangar was a massive construct of iron and steel, towering above the heads all who stood before it. With a massive length easily large enough to hold a royal dreadnought, the hanger was a sight to behold. Many dock workers and sailors moved about among the entrance to the hangar. Some shifting supplies and rigging about while others simply enjoyed the day. However the quite atmosphere was shattered the moments Tori and Andre rounded the street corner. The shouts and gunfire following them almost as if it was they who were doing the shooting as they both ran toward the hangar.

The dock workers and sailors alike scattered as the two approached. Mostly for fear of being dragged into trouble that was not theirs to begin with. It was almost comical to see the form of burly sailors diving behind crates and partially built ships in order to dodge the incoming gunfire. For Tori it was hilarious, for she began laughing as she saw this sight. Andre shooting her a look that said _"Have you_ _lost your mind?"_ However Tori had actually begun to feel alive again; despite the hangover pounding on her head or the nausea in her gut, she was actually enjoying herself. The feeling of freedom was almost overwhelming and had banished the numbness that she had felt after her drinking spree.

Tori hated these cities. They had an oppressive air about them that most people who lived there wouldn't even notice. However for someone who had spent their lives traveling the world with its vast glories and freedoms, the city was nothing more than a cage. Getting closer to the freedom of the open sky once more had made Tori giddy to the point of laughter. Despite, or perhaps because of the adrenaline pumping through her she no longer felt the painful throb of her hangover and the nausea had managed to abate. To say that Tori was enjoying the chaos of the moment wouldn't be far off.

The pounding of boot on pavement soon turned into the metallic clang of boot on metal as they entered the hanger. The massive structure housed hundreds of vessels and could most likely hold even more if need be. The tall walls were lined with hooks, winches and all manner of ropes and chains to help with the stowing and docking of the ships. The entire area echoed with the calls of workers and grind machinery. The center of all the activity seemed centered on the massive airships that occupied the inner walls of the hangar. Ranging dramatically in size from the massive royal destroyers that occupied its private docking zones, to the small and fleet merchant vessels used for hauling goods to and fro.

The thrum of activity was halted suddenly as both Tori and Andre bolted past many of the workers. A few called out after them angrily but they soon were silenced as the soldiers pursuing them charged after. Apparently having given up on shooting Tori and Andre while running, they had gone for a more simplistic approach. If you can't shoot them, stab them. With this new mindset the soldiers seemed more intent on closing the gap between them than anything. It was starting to become unnerving as they drew ever further into the hanger. The sprawling catwalks that hung suspended in the air had an unnerving habit of swaying with the breeze, not to mention the other issue. The amount of area they had to work with for running was rapidly coming to a close.

With a sudden screech the massive doors of the hanger began to grind open. Sparks were visible on either side of the massive wall of moving metal as it ground open to show the azure sky. Below the wind blew upward to create a massive gust of wind. It seemed as though the entire hanger creaked with the force of the gale. Tori's hair blew back behind her and Andre's dreads fluttered about as the two ran through the wind, with increasing elation Tori noted that the soldiers had seemed to have lost track of them momentarily. However on looking back the brunette noted that the soldiers hadn't simply lost their track of them they had stopped chasing them entirely.

Tori was about to yell over to Andre to inform him of this development when the sound of rapidly approaching footfalls distracted her. A flash of red crossed her vision and something hard smashed into the back of her leg causing her to let out a yell. The sudden shooting pain caused Tori's leg to buckle and she fell, crashing into the metal walkways that crisscrossed the hanger. With a groan the brunette lay still for a moment, pain flooding her senses. Tori gingerly lifted her-self up and felt something wet dribble down her face. Touching her hand to her nose she took it away, crimson tipping her fingers. 'Wonderful, might have just broken my nose' She grumbled internally, that was until she felt the sharp tip of a blade press against her throat.

Looking up she saw the form of a short girl with striking red hair smiling down at her from behind the barrel of a rifle, the tip of its bayonet digging pressing into the soft skin of her throat. She was dressed as an officer of the Navy and the bayonet digging into her skin only reinforced the idea she was Navy. 'Must have got me with the butt of the rifle,' Tori thought glumly 'I hate my luck.'

The sound of a sword being drawn caught both of their attentions as Andre drew the cutlass from its scabbard and pointed it at the girl.

"I would advise you to remove that from the captain's throat." Andre said with a dark look in his eyes.

The girl glanced up at the dark skinned man before flashing him a smile and saying in an cheery voice, "Sorry, I can't do that. You see, Admiral Oliver really wants to talk to your captain here and it would be rude to ignore him."

"Is that right? Well it would be rather rude for a couple of honest privateers such as us to ignore such a high honor. I mean how often do people get to meet the Admiral of the Royal Navy?" Andre asked, voice dripping with sarcasm. However the smile on his face was genuine; it was rather amusing after all to play along a little.

The girl nodded her head happily. However the moment she turned her attention fully on Andre, Tori moved. Seizing the end of the rifle barrel, she jerked the gun away from her face, and shoved herself up and backwards. Caught off guard by the sudden move, the red head tumbled backwards with Tori on top of her. With a painful thwack, both women toppled into the cat walk; the red head receiving the worst of it from the combined weight of herself and Tori. However before either could fully regain their senses Andre rushed over and pulled Tori to her feet. Noticing that the other girl, groaning and attempting to rise, he delivered a swift kick to her stomach. The wind rushed out of her lungs and she lay there gasping.

"Time to get out of here I think." Andre said as he dragged Tori, who was still slightly dazed, behind him.

As they stumbled past the hull of a particularly large cargo ship, a voice ahead of them called out.

"Hurry up you guys, you got company!"

Looking to the source of the voice Tori saw the thing she had been hoping to see since they had entered the hanger. Robbie stood waving at them and beneath him, the key to their continued freedom. Floating on the breeze, turbines' spinning to life, was the Holly Wood. She was a magnificent vessel, of that any would agree. Twin semi-rigid blimps kept it afloat while various metal and rope rigging secured it to the buckle below. The dull gleam of metal on the balloons revealed its armor plating. It was light enough to not reduce speed or the ability of the ship to stay afloat, but tough enough to withstand most small arms fire. The lower portion of the vessel was styled after the sailing water vessels of the east. With that it took the same ideals for design as a sailing ship would, with both an upper and lower deck. It was at least eighty feet in length and made of dark hardwood with steel reinforcement securing it all together. Two doors on both the port and starboard side stood next to the stairs, both leading two the lower area of the ship.

The bow of the ship stood imposing, for mounted on it stood a grappling javelin. It was designed with the set purpose of ensnaring other ships and to allow for easier boarding. Moving toward the aft section of the vessel one could see the small staircase leading to the helm of the ship. It was made with a more traditional feel yet still had all the modern amenities it could afford. The wheel had been carved to appear the same as a sailing vessel but was still surrounded by an assortment of pressure gauges, wind sleeves, altimeters, airspeed indicators, and attitude measures. With the name Holly Wood painted on the port and starboard side, Tori could have sworn she had never see a happier sight in her life.

However she was quickly ripped from her reverie by the sound of quickly approaching foot falls. Whipping around the brunette's eyes widened as she saw the entire group of soldiers resuming their chase. Apparently when they saw their commanding officer, or what Tori believed to be their commanding officer fall, they took it upon themselves to resume their chase. Turning her attention back to the man waving at them from the deck of the ship she focused on getting aboard.

"Robbie start the ship already!" She yelled out as she and Andre raced toward the floating airship.

The curly haired boy jumped immediately into action in his attempt to start the ship. Racing about in his grease stained jumpsuit the lanky teen threw a multitude of switches at the helm of the ship causing the turbines to roar to life. Robbie quickly threw the ship into forward as he saw both the captain and first mate clamber up the gang plank. The sound of gunshots echoed out behind them as the soldiers rounded the corner.

Tori threw her-self to the floor of the deck, pulling the gangplank with her. Andre rushed to the helm of the ship, shoving Robbie out of the way in the process. The roaring of the turbines grew ever loader as the first mate pushed the ship into high gear and began to maneuver it out of the hanger. The sound of gunshots faded and the shadow of the hanger was replaced with the dazzling brightness of the azure sky. Tori let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding and stood up to lean against the railing of the ship. She let out a shaky laugh, heart still pounding with adrenaline. They had done it. They had made it out in one piece. A smile crossed her face… right before she vomited over the side of the ship.

* * *

Cat was not pleased with herself. At the moment she felt nothing but failure. Not only had she allowed both of the pirates to escape she had let them get the better of her. Not to mention she had failed the Admiral… again. First she had let him see her with the drugs racing through her, and now with this. It wasn't fair. Cat sighed before leaning down and scooping her rifle into her arms. She was still in pain from taking that blow to her stomach, and the back of her head was sore from the fall.

Cat had always prided herself on her combat skills. The Admiral and even other soldiers had praised her for being an ace with a gun, and her she was being schooled by pirates. It was shameful really, and to make matters worse she would have to explain all of this to Beck. She really wasn't looking forward to that. With a sigh she began to walk in the direction of the naval college.

"_Cat." Beck barked angrily._

"_Uhh, y-yes sir?" Cat squeaked. She wasn't used to Beck being this angry over everything. He had never gotten this mad before, not even when he discovered she had injecting herself to get rid of the pain. _

"_Go after them, and whatever you do don't let them get away. Do I make myself clear?" Beck said, still not turning to face her._

"_Yes sir."_

_With that she took off running, yelling at a group of royal guardsmen to go after the woman with the red bandana. The men stood there for a moment confused before Cat yelled at them to get moving. They quickly sprinted off in the direction that the pirate captain had fled. Cat fallowed not far behind._

As Cat made her way back to the college she wondered how exactly she was going to explain this to Beck. He had made it very clear that letting that woman escape would not end well, and what had she done but let her escape. With a sigh she wearily walked into the grounds of the college. If she was right then the Admiral would be giving his lecture right about now. While she couldn't remember what it was on exactly she recalled that it had been interesting enough to draw quite a large crowd to it. Academic students and great minds alike had gathered to hear it.

The college itself was something to behold all in its self. Made entirely of marble the building always seemed to shine with a soft glow in the sun's rays. However despite wishing to stay outside and simply enjoy the day, not to mention avoiding Beck, Cat knew she would have to face him sooner rather than later. With a dejected sigh she braced herself for whatever verbal assault she was certain she was going to deal with.

Guessing that the Admiral would likely be making his speech at the moment, Cat headed for the Lecture hall. While she was not overly familiar with the building, having never actually attended any school in her life, she had been to the area enough to know in general where everything was located. After a bit of walking Cat spotted the large double doors that would lead her to the lecture hall. Opening the doors and stepping into the hall, Cat saw that Beck was either ending his lecture or he was simply taking questions. The room itself was packed with people, having every single row filled with people. However every single person in the room had their attention fixed on the admiral.

"An excellent point I'm sure, however I am no expert on the field so my opinion on the matter wouldn't be the best to take at face value. All right, any more questions?" Beck said as he addressed the packed lecture hall.

Cat stood in the back of the room and decided to wait for the Admiral to finish his lecture before interrupting him. "Ahh yes, you young lady in the middle row."

A Tall willowy woman with long dark hair dressed in the outfit of the science division stood up, "Well sir, I was wondering if you could tell us about the events of… well, the shattering." A soft murmur ran through the crowd.

Even from her remote spot in the back of the room, Cat could see Beck stiffen. "Interesting…" Beck paused, "Interesting question, miss…?"

"Davis sir."

"Ahh yes, miss Davis. Well I myself was not around when the events of the shattering took place. That was my predecessor, former admiral Williams. However from what I know the shattering or as we call it in the scientific community, the S-Event, was a large scale terra forming event that left over eighty percent of the world in a desert like state. The cause of this event is still unknown to us, however as we can see the effects have been far reaching. This was the cause for sudden need of air transportation on a much larger scale than we had previously seen. Hence the creation of the mobile-aerial preservation zones, or as they are simply called now, the Zones. These zones were created to house large populations while never having to land, refuel or be modified at a separate location."

Beck paused for a moment before continuing. "The S-Event also lead to the jump in our technology because of the new energy source that was created as a result of the terraforming. You may know it as the element zelton. As you may know zelton, when heated releases a massive amount of thermal energy, allowing us to create the vast steam engines that power the city. All of this was a result of the shattering. However why this all happened is still being studied and as of now we still don't have an answer."

Silence reined in the room as no one spoke for a few moments after Beck finished speaking. Cat herself was silent, busy examining Beck face. Despite the distance between the back of the room and stage in which Beck currently stood she could tell he was holding back information. It was in the way his shoulders stiffened slightly and his voice was slightly harder than before.

"I thank you for your time, but I regret to inform you that my time here has come to an end. Thank you for having me at your esteemed college and I wish you all the best." With that Beck stepped down from the stage as the room erupted into chatter.

As Cat made her way toward Beck her feeling of unease returned, she could had a feeling that she had somehow managed to really mess this up. The Admiral spotted her and began to walk forward with a determined look on his face. Cat paled as he drew closer.

"Well, did you capture her? Where is she, the holding cells? I need to interrogate her myself. Come along Cat this is vital." Beck rambled as he seized Cat by the shoulders and began to steer her out of the hall despite her attempts to inform him of the situation.

As soon as they exited the hall Cat shook herself free of the admiral grip before turning to face him.

"Sir, I-I didn't, I mean she… Sir Captain Vega escaped."

Admiral Beck's face went from a victorious smirk to completely blank of emotion.

"What?"

* * *

**Cliffhanger? Cliffhanger. Why a cliff hanger, you ask, why because I felt like it. Anyway, leave a comment if you enjoyed. Seya guys later, as always Draconian Calocor here, Peace out. **


	3. Chapter 3

**So here is the new chapter, not going to say much here other than enjoy and thanks for reading**

**Disclaimer (since I forgot it the first two times) I do not own Victorious or any of the characters associated with it, this is a fan made work, purely for entertainment purposes.**

* * *

The mysteries of the universe were an interesting thing to ponder. What is the purpose of life, or perhaps is there in fact a god, or better yet, why the hell won't the world stop spinning. These were the thoughts that invaded the mind of Captain Tori Vega as she lay on the deck of the Holly Wood. The excitement of being chased combined with the copious amounts of alcohol she had consumed the previous night had not been a pleasant experience in the long run. Yet there was something extremely calming about the azure sky. Maybe it was the wisps of cloud that drifted over head. Perhaps it was the cool breeze that blew and the warm sun on her skin. Either way, Tori had no desire to get up. The creaking of the rigging and the timber of the ship seemed almost a lullaby; the gentle warmth of the sun lulling her into a peaceful state of semi-wakefulness. Closing her eyes, Tori was content to lie were she was and sleep, that is until she was interrupted.

"Oi, Captain if you want to sleep get of my deck." Andre called from his spot at the helm.

Tori groaned as she rose up to glare at him. "Your deck?" she asked voice dripping with faked incredulity. Andre simply shook his head laughing.

Grumbling to herself Tori stood up from the overly comfy deck, and walked toward the stairs leading to the lower deck. If there was one thing she knew it was that she would feel better sleeping in her bed rather than the deck. Grabbing the handle of the wooden door, pushing it open she traversed her way into the underbelly of the ship; stairs creaking as she descended each step. The wooden walls slanted upward and the wall mounted candles glowed in the darkness of the ship. The dull gleam of metal caught Tori's eye and she saw the ships cannons strapped down where they had been previously held. The racks of cannon balls lay beside them, everything in its proper place.

Light flickered to her left indicating that she was not alone down in the ships hold. The compartment to her left held the galley and the larder. The simple though of food caused a growl to escape form Tori's stomach. It did not help that she had eaten nothing since her binging episode yesterday and she could defiantly use something to quell the remaining nausea in her gut. However what grabbed her attention was the sudden crash of metal on metal that rang out from within the galley. Ignoring all rational thought Tori flung the door open, not entirely certain what she was expecting to see. The sight that greeted her however was not what she was expecting at all.

A large pile of pots and pans lay on the ground in a large heap. Scattered about the floor amongst the cook ware was the discarded husks of coconuts. Tori let out a rather tired sigh; after all there was only one person on the ship this catastrophe could belong too; unless of course someone else on the ship had taken to cooking and drinking coconut milk when she wasn't paying attention.

"Sikowitz, you in here?" Tori called out, not seeing the rather eccentric man anywhere.

Tori nearly jumped as a balding head with hair sticking in all direction poked out from beneath the cocoon of cook ware. "Ahh Tori! Good to see you're still in one piece, or what looks like one piece; I can't see your toes through your boots." Sikowitz exclaimed from within his metal prison.

"Yeah I got all my bits, although you look like you are having a war with the pans. I assume you have a reason for that." Tori said a confused look crossing her features.

"But of course I have a reason! What do you take me for, a savage? Declaring war on cooking utensils without cause is unheard of, but more importantly I had another vision."

"I noticed the coconuts, so… what is the _vision_ this time?" Tori asked, not bothering to hide her sarcasm.

Sikowitz proceeded to extract himself from his metal jailor and brushed himself off. Not that this did him any good; the stained and battered cooking apron was in a state of complete ruin from the amount of times it had been used as a rag. No amount of cleaning could return it to its original state. The same could be said of his rather ragged clothing, his cotton shirt, which had been white, was now a shade of gray that suggested too many washes. His loose black trousers however were in fine condition considering how he treated the rest of his clothing.

Sikowitz let out a small chuckle, "I see you still don't trust my vision."

Tori raised an eyebrow at this. "You get your visions from drinking coconut milk… I wonder why I don't believe you."

"Sarcasm is unbecoming of you Tori."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah look just clean up the kitchen when you're done with your hallucinations."

"Well I would think you would be interested in the one's concerning you at the very least." Sikowitz huffed as he began to pick up the scattered pots and pans.

Tori stopped short of leaving the room, "Uhh do me a favor and leave me out of your hallucinations. Thanks."

Sikowitz simply rolled his eyes in irritation before continuing, "Not what your assuming, but yes you were in the last one I had, you and a girl with striking red hair."

The brunette paused at this statement. "Red hair?"

"Yes, very bright and flowing if I remember correctly. Both of you were connected somehow, I don't know how though. Would you happen to know someone like this, it could help to clear up the mystery of who she is."

"I met someone today like that, or I guess I should say I was attacked by someone who fits that description." Sikowitz raised an eyebrow. "She was one of Beck's soldiers, she was better than the others by a long shot. My guess is she is his personal soldier or something like that. However what amazes me is that you actually got something right with your crack pot visions."

Tori began to laugh lightly at the frown the invaded Sikowitz face at this statement. "Bah, young people these days, no respect what so ever, but before I forget your sister was looking to talk to you when you got back from, and I quote 'idiotic drinking binge' so I would suggest going and speaking to her. She's in her room I believe."

Tori nodded with a sigh, she had expected something like this. Yet it didn't make it any more pleasant. With a final nod toward her slightly insane cook, Tori closed the door to the galley, her hunger replaced with a need to sleep more than anything. Her exhaustion had finally caught up to her in force and all she wanted was to lay her head down and not have to worry about the issues of others for a while. Not have to worry about being hunted, not have to feel the hopelessness that would invade her mind from time to time. Easier to drown it all in alcohol than to face it and deal with all the shit that came with it. These thoughts occupied her as she wandered slowly down the dark hallway of the ship to the sleeping quarters that held her room, and more importantly her bed. How she wished she could simply forget all of this, just lie down, and let it all fade away. At least the booze was good for something.

However this train of though was interrupted moments before Tori could work herself back into the mindset of "drown self in alcohol" which would have made sleeping much easier.

"Tori Vega!"

'Shit.' Tori groaned internally.

Turning to face the speaker Tori saw the one person she had not wanted to run into after her little fiasco at the docks. "Hi Trina."

"Don't you hi Trina me, you got attacked again, you here that, again. Tori, people should not get attacked at every port they stop at. More importantly you're making it almost impossible for me to go out and enjoy myself." Trina spat, fuming all the while.

It was true that for some reason or another, trouble always seemed to seek Tori out. However this might be more related to her wanton consumption of booze, and the poor judgment that stemmed from said consumption, than anything else.

"Yes dearest sister?" Tori grunted, not feeling the least inclined to sit and take Trina's lecture.

"Oh don't go all upper class on me, we work for our food. More importantly where in the hell were you, no wait let me guess, drunk! We had to send Andre out to look for you, and to top it off you almost get the both of you killed."

Tori let out a snort of laughter, "Work? I didn't know being a whore was working, but then again what do I know."

It wasn't a particularly pleasant thing to say to her sister but at the moment Captain Vega could care less. She was tired to the point of collapse and she had already heard whatever Trina was going to say before. It just seemed easier to take a shot at her, get her mad and have her leave than to have her shove the truth of what she herself was doing. Tori knew that she was killing herself with drink, she did. She needed a drink to wake up and a drink to sleep. A drink to think and a drink to care, she needed a drink for almost everything now, and she knew it yet still she drank everything away.

"Although based on how you're dressed I say that you would be an upper class whore." Tori continued unabashed, attempting to get Trina to either strike her and leave or simply leave all together.

At some level Tori was correct about the clothing her sister wore. It was a tad more revealing than strictly necessary and showed all of her assets off to whoever happened to glance her way. Her dress, a deep purple of sorts with frills on the edges and cuffs, clung to her chest. It revealed more cleavage than would be approved of in most respecting places but it wasn't too flashy. Her hair was also always done up and well groomed. She was a stark contrast to Tori herself who had not bathed in a more than a few days and had also neglected her own hair for quite some time. However Tori really didn't care, her need for her poison and sleep were breaking down her better judgment.

"Or am I wrong?" The Brunette said, smirking at her sister.

Trina's nostrils flared and her fists clenched. She appeared to be ready to strike Tori at any moment. "I am not a whore. I am a courtesan. I do not fuck anyone with the money to pay for it. I escort people to prestigious events and I help entertain, but i do not fuck. You better damn well remember that." She said in a voice that was dangerously calm.

"Whatever you say…" Tori grumbled becoming more and more fed up with speaking.

Trina, despite wanting to show Tori exactly why people don't call their sisters whores, apparently picked up on this. SHe softened her gaze slightly and unclenched her fists. Right now was not the time to be angry. "Tori, why do you do this to yourself? You used to be so strong and now… you let your self-loathing get the better of you."

"Drop it Trina."

"NO!" Trina growled loudly, she was tired of being pushed away by her own sister, she had had enough. "Tori I am sick of you blaming yourself for what happened to us. It wasn't your fault, what happened to Mom and Da-"

"Trina shut up!" Tori yelled, she didn't want to think about any of it, not now, not ever.

Trina flinched slightly at her sister's sudden outburst but closed her mouth all the same. "Tor, I'm sorry for bringing it up, I-I know it's not a pleasant memory."

Tori sighed, she couldn't be mad at Trina, not for long anyways. More importantly her sister was right, but that didn't make Tori fell any better about it.

"Look Trin I know you didn't mean it and I'm sorry for snapping at you, I'm just messed up ok. All I want right now are three things. I want a stiff drink, a beautiful girl to help me unwind, and a soft bed to sleep in. Since I can only have the drink and the bed, I'm going to go to sleep ok."

Trina let out a sigh, but she knew better than to keep berating Tori when her sister was clearly doing that to herself daily. "Ok, just get some rest, and try and keep the drinking down, please?" she asked softly.

Tori just nodded before stepping past her and heading into her quarters, closing the door behind her. Before Trina began to walk back to her own room she heard the dead bolt on her sister's door slide shut.

Once the door was safely shut behind her, Captain Vega turned her attention away from the door and back to her room. By most standards it was simple for the captains quarters of a ship, but Tori had never really found much to decorate it with before. There was a large glass window that showed a view from the stern of the ship. The glass itself was somehow reinforced, Tori never understood how the engineers who built it pulled that off, and light streamed in through it. A large wooden desk stood before the window, most likely to allow the officer of the ship to do any paperwork that needed doing. However Tori had re purposed its large and accommodating drawers for her stash of hard liquor. Striding over to it and pulling the ornate drawers open she seized the first bottle she could lay her hands on. Drawing the elaborate curtains over the window she plunged the room into almost total darkness.

Tori began to work the cork out of the bottle of liquor as she moved toward her bed on the far side of the room. It was a large four poster bead that was if nothing else, extremely comfortable to sleep on. However the mass of clothes and empty bottle had long since begun to clutter around it. In fact the entire room smelled of old booze, it was simply that Tori had long since grown accustomed to the smell as it no longer bothered her.

Taking a swig of the booze, she was certain it was rum; Tori began to work on removing her boots. Once they were off she flopped down on the bed, pushing the scarlet covers away from her. With a sigh she stared up at the ceiling, and simply looked at it. Shaking her head Tori shut her eyes, letting total darkness envelope her. Taking another swig of her swill, she yawned exhaustion closing in on her. She knew that there was only one place that Andre would think of to get away from the empire for a while until things blew over. At least it would be entertaining.

"Yo ho a pirates life for me." She muttered softly before taking a final gulp of the demon drink and let herself drift off to sleep.

* * *

Why? Why, why, why would someone ever be so cruel? That was the question Cat continued to ask herself even though she knew the answer to the question. In fact most wouldn't even call this kind of thing cruel; most would deem it appropriate considering the circumstances. Still, to Cat that didn't matter. It was only the fact that it had happened that shocked her. He had taken it, all of it, the only way for her to forget. He had taken it, smashed it, burned it, and destroyed it. All that she had was gone, and she had no way to get more.

"_She got away."_

"_Yes… sir." She mumbled_

_Silence reigned heavy for a few moments, Cat almost too scared to breath. However the silence was interrupted when Beck simply nodded his head calmly and grunted that he understood. Cat let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. For a moment the red head entertained the idea that Beck might not be mad at her and would understand what had happened. That was until Beck slammed his fist into the wall with an audible crunch. Cat's felt the blood drain from her face. Withdrawing his hand form the wall, Cat could see blood dripping down form where he had split the skin on his knuckles. For a moment she worried that the Admiral might have shattered his hand. However she stopped thinking anything the moment he began to speak in a deadly calm voice. _

"_Cat, listen to me very carefully, ok? You just let a woman escape. A woman who killed her entire crew just to escape from prison; who stole a prototype scout vessel and killed all the engineers working on it. A woman who has knowledge on the innermost workings of our air force, and you let her get away." Beck fell silent for a moment before continuing. "However, I think I know where they are going." _

Cat looked up at the ceiling of her cabin, at the wood grains that gave the ship its character. She lay in a hammock attached to the wall in a small room on the starboard side of the ship. The room was bare save for a small bed and a step chest placed against the foot of the bed. The ship itself was nothing special, being only a medium class transport vessel, but it severed its job well enough. That job being to take a person from one point to the other. The sunlight streaming in through the port hole was illuminating the dust in the air as the ship sailed through the sky. The gentle creak of the timbers and sway of her hammock could have lulled her into a sleep had her body not been itching for her hit. She could have simply stared at these patterns all day, and attempt to ignore her body crying for blissful numbness. She most likely would have had her thoughts not been interrupted once again. She was going to one of the few cities that could be called Empire free with ease. The one city in the world that any who called themselves thieves, murders, thugs, and pirates flocked too. Tortuga.

The city of sin and vice that was a haven to all fleeing from the law and the past. Cat herself had never been to the infamous city but she had heard much about it speaking with her fellow sailors. It was apparently the only city to ever withstand a full attack by the royal air force and not only survive, but push them back. The reason why the Empire never attempted to take it back had been due to the massive increase in criminal power since then. The flying city had become a flying fortress, and only those who knew how could enter it without being shot out of the sky. Apparently Beck knew how.

To top it all off, the Admiral had sent one of his Officers to watch her and make sure she didn't attempt to find anything to numb herself with. If Cat remembered his name was Lane, and he was currently sitting on the other side of the cabin reading a book of some sort. He was rather older than both Beck and herself and was average in size with dark hair, light brown skin, and kind smile. He had been very polite to Cat so far and she felt that under other circumstances she would have like him a lot. However these were not other circumstances. His duty was to make sure this mission went as planned and that they captured both Captain Vega and the Holly Wood in one piece.

To Cat however she felt betrayed at what Beck had done, yet in reality she knew she had no reason to hate him. She had failed in her duty and she was being punished by having to be monitored. The removal of her drugs had simply been a way for Beck to kill two birds with one stone. Capture Vega and attempt to detox her, however Cat had no idea how long she could realistically last without it.

In an attempt to take her mind off of her growing discomfort, the red head looked over at Lane and decided it would be better if she at least got to know him; considering that they were going to be stuck together for a while at least.

"Lane, would you mind telling me a bit about yourself?" She asked curious about him as well as his response.

Lane looked up from his book and gave her a small smile, "Trying to ignore the withdrawal?" He asked a knowing look upon his face. Cat simply nodded her head, not really bothering to lie; the Admiral would have told him regardless.

"Well I guess I could start with something that relates to both of us, so how about I tell you how I began to serve under Admiral Oliver." He said, gaining a faraway look in his eyes. Cat nodded her head in consent and the man began to tell his tale.

"Well I began to work under Beck when he had just become Fleet Admiral. Most people, myself included, didn't think highly of him due to how young he was and the circumstances on which he became Fleet Admiral. You see, the previous admiral apparently died under rather odd conditions. In fact many people suspected either Admiral Oliver or the other admiral at the time to have done it. I can't remember the name of the other one, but I do remember her being the popular choice for succession when the big man was supposed to step down."

Cat simply hummed a simply tune as she listened, it had no real melody but it made her feel slightly better.

"Anyway, almost as soon as Beck became Admiral he had to choose his new officer staff. I had been and officer for about fifteen years at that point and I had never really thought that I would ever be selected for his cabinet. Yet one day he showed up at the naval yard I had been running and walked in the front door as if it were the most natural thing in the world. It struck me then that he was a very down to earth person, he didn't treat those under him in rank with disrespect and I can easily say that many of the troops liked him from the get go. However he sought me out and asked me I would join his cabinet."

Cat's eyebrows rose at this, "He just asked you out of the blue to join him, why?"

Lane let out a chuckle, "That's the same question I asked him, and you know what he said to me? He said 'Commodore, I don't have much experience actually leading men. I know that you have worked with your sailors for a long time and they seem to like you a great deal and I was hoping that you would do me the courtesy of assisting me in this', I nearly laughed at him when he said that."

Cat gave him a confused look, "Why was that funny?"

Lane gave her a sad smile accompanied by a small shake of his head. "Cat my dear, you may not have noticed but I am a man of color; when I first born, it was still illegal for my people to walk on the same side of the road as white folk. Thankfully that changed before I got to the age of ten, I'm almost fifty now, but the young queen decreed that all were equal under her banner. She even let anyone of color serve in her military, which is how I ended up as an officer. However many people were not happy with this development, so I had to ended up having to fight very hard to keep my position let alone rise through the ranks. So it was funny due to the fact that he thought I was good with the sailors. They didn't like me Cat; they simply respected me for managing to get that far ahead in life."

He turned his attention back to Cat as the red head shifted in her hammock. "What about you, where did Beck find you?"

Cat closed her eyes and let out a sigh, "I don't really remember much from before he found me but I do know that for some reason or another they had me locked in a cell all by myself. How long I was in there I don't know; all I do know is that Beck got me out of there and I have been serving him ever since. I sort of owe him my life so I've been trying to help him any way I could since."

A thoughtful look overcame Lane's face for a moment before he spoke again. "If you owe him so much why did you repay him by getting yourself hooked on, what do they call it… dream spice?"

At the simple thought of how disappointed Beck had looked the first time he had seen her under the effects of the spice, it caused Cat to wince at the memory.

"I don't think I could explain it in a way that you would understand, I'm not even going to try to be honest. The thing is, I just need to be able to… not feel for a while, because having to remember the things that are in my head…" She trailed off "It's just too painful, and I don't even understand what I see. All I know is that it hurts so badly, and I just can't take it."

Lane looked at her for a moment before nodding his head as though he understood what she was trying to say. Silence fell between the two as they returned to their previous endeavors of reading and staring at the ceiling. It would have gone on for some time had Cat not began to suffer. It started out slow, with nothing more than a shiver to indicate something was wrong but soon escalated in full blown waves of pain. Tears had begun to leak out of Cats hazel eyes when Lane stood and walked over to her. Out of the corner of her blurry vision Cat saw the small glint of metal before she felt something pinch her skin. Suddenly the pain stopped, and everything began to feel warm again.

Cat recognized this feeling immediately, the wonderful bliss of a high. Yet even in her addled state she still had to ask, "Why?"

Lane sighed, "As much as I hate what you have done to yourself, completely quitting this stuff will most likely kill you. That the way Beck would have you do it, but I don't think that's the best option. So it's safer to wean you off it slowly, that way you will be able to quit and you won't suffer nearly as much."

Cat gave him a dopey smile as her mind clouded and she began to drift away, yet even with that she still managed to mumble out a small "thank you" before passing out completely. Perhaps she had been wrong. Cat had a feeling that maybe Lane wasn't such a bad person after all; maybe things could get better. If only she knew how wrong she was.

* * *

**I think that writing misery is far too much fun for its own good… I also think that I might be a slightly insane considering I don't hate everything about this chapter and actually like how I wrote it, crazy right? Anyway if you enjoyed leave a comment or a follow and if you felt things could be improved leave a comment or PM with info. **

**Draconian Calocor here, peace out. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys here is the new chapter enjoy.**

* * *

"_Mom, Dad wait up!"_

_The light was so bright it was almost blinding. She knew that they were there, she just knew it._

_She could hear them laughing softly, "Come on little Tori, you need to run faster."_

"_But I can't keep up, please slow down!" She called out after them. She could see their shadows on the ground but the light was too bright to see them. _

_The light was growing brighter, the laughter becoming more distant._

"_No! Wait, please don't leave me!" She cried out after them._

"_Time to wake up Tori…"_

_She could feel the heat of flames; she could hear screaming, smell the smoke. Why couldn't she do anything? Why?_

"_Wake up Tori, wake up."_

"Hey Captain! Wake up damn it!"

Tori's eyes snapped open as she gasped for air, her brow covered in cold sweat. Her heart pounded sharply against her chest as she pushed herself into a sitting position. Her hands were still shaking from the nightmare that had been haunted her in her sleep. Glancing around her she saw that the light streaming through the curtains had changed. It was no longer the darker light that the afternoon sun had blazed; instead it was the gentler early morning light that streamed through the curtains.

"I swear I will shoot a hole in this door to wake you up if I have to!"

Tori rolled her eyes at the empty threat but climbed out of her bed. She had no need to get dressed seeing as she had gone to sleep in her clothes.

Pulling her boots on she called out toward the door "Calm down Andre, and don't go blowing holes in my ship!"

"It took us too much effort to get this damn thing to have you breaking it." She continued as she walked to door and opened it. Andre simply stood in her door way laughing in response to her complaining.

"Now why did you wake me up?" she asked shooting him a glare.

"We'll be docking in Tortuga soon, figured you would want to be awake when we got here." He replied with a shrug. "Why, you want to go back to sleep?"

Tori shook her head, face serious "No I would much rather be awake for this. Especially considering that you don't just fly a ship into this city."

Andre nodded his head and stepped to the side to allow Tori to get out of her room. Stepping up onto deck Tori noted with some alarm that it was not Andre at the helm but Robbie. The lanky young man wore his usual grease stained jumpsuit, the orange coloration giving him the appearance of a skinny fruit. However the alarming thing about the image was that Robbie was at the helm of one of the most advanced ships in the skies. Andre quickly ran up to the helm and relieved their engineer of his duty.

Descending the stairs from the helm Robbie shot his captain an annoyed look as he grunted, "I'm not that bad at piloting these things you know."

Tori gave him an incredulous look, "You nearly crashed our ship into the side of a mountain the first time we let you man the helm!"

"Nearly! I didn't actually hit it though." He responded sheepishly.

"It was a mountain."

"So?"

"How do you not see a mountain?"

At this comment Robbie turned away grumbling something that sounded suspiciously like 'Fix your ship and this is the respect I get?' before descending below deck to most likely return to engineering. Tori simply shook her head and walked up to the helm to observe their arrival at the flying fortress that was Tortuga. She could see the massive metal construct in the distance, clouds wrapping around its massive frame as though it were a mountain rather than a city.

The zone itself was intimidating having for many years having been the source of conflict. As a result it had accumulated so many tears and breaks in the frame that it appeared as though much of the metal was nothing more than patchwork. Not to mention the array of massive weaponry lining the walls of the flying city, as well as the thousands of slots in the walls for cannons and other weapons to be placed. The artillery guns it sported were enough to down a massive imperial dreadnaught with a single shot, and judging from the amount, the entire city was prepared to fend off any and all attacks. Tori was hardly surprised that the royal navy had lost to the behemoth city, it was more a wonder that they had decided to attack it in the first place.

"Alright, take us in." Tori grunted a grim expression on her face; Andre simply nodded in response.

As the ship began to maneuver toward Tortuga, silence reigned at the helm of the Holly Wood; neither of the two privateers saying a word as they approached the city. Tori kept her gaze fixed upon the multitude of weapons that, at a moment's notice, could be turned upon them. It was simply nerve wracking having no control over their situation, being at the mercy of whoever happened to manning the gates of Tortuga.

Several minutes passed in the silence, before Andre, apparently sick of the silence, voiced what they both were thinking as the city began to loom over them. "I hate this."

Tori grunted her agreement, eyes never leaving the mass of cannons and turrets that had subtly been trained on them. "That's not our only problem."

"Oh yeah, because the mass of metal and lead that could be shot at us any second isn't worrying enough. Why, what's bothering you?"

"Don't know, just got a bad feeling about this is all."

Andre let out a small laugh, "Well knowing you, you're most likely to be the cause of the problem more than anything."

Tori simply grumbled in reply. However as they approached the massive metal doors leading to one of the hangers, the tension grew. If the door did not open soon the only course of action left for them would be to hope that the murderous thugs and gangsters manning the zone's weaponry didn't decide they need target practice. Tori swallowed nervously as they grew ever closer and closer to them, all the while Andre maintained their course and speed. When the wall was only a little over three hundred yards away Tori snapped.

"Andre, turn us around. Now." She said. The brunette could practically feel every single cannon, turret, and artillery aimed directly at her.

However before Andre could even react a massive groan rang out and the door to the hanger began to slide open. Sparks flew from the hinges as the great metal doors opened allowing passage for the ship to enter. With a sigh of relief the first mate steered the ship into the hanger, the sun disappearing as they entered into the bowels of the city leaving them in the shadows of the hanger. The ship slowly began to lose speed as it drew closer to the docking platform where several attendants waited to assist with the docking.

By this time both Robbie and Trina had made their way up from the lower deck to the main deck. It was almost comical to see the two emerge from the lower deck seeing as Robbie looked as though he had lost a fight with their engine and Trina was dressed in a flowing red dress complete with a furry red boa. They were such a comparison of each other both Tori smiled at the sight. However her attention turned to steering the mighty vessel as Andre moved down to the deck to assist Robbie with the docking.

Sighing with relief as the final ropes were secured to the Holly Wood, Tori called out to the crew "Welcome to Tortuga gentlemen." Trina coughed loudly, "Oh, and Trina too."

Smiling to herself at the look on Trina's face, Tori lowered the gangplank where a rather short man, with only a wisp of dark hair on his head, awaited them. He was dressed as an official of some sort however his uniform was threadbare and looked as though it would fall apart at a single moment.

"Docking fee is five pence, oh and I need a name." He said in a bored voice as Tori approached.

Tori glanced at Andre who simply rolled his eyes as he dug in his coin purse for the correct amount.

"Still need a name." The short man said as he looked at Tori.

"Oliver." She said with a small smile.

The short man raised an eyebrow before nodding and whipping out a small booklet and scribbling the name down. "Have a pleasant day." He grunted as he began to walk away.

"Well he seemed to enjoy his job." Robbie commented dryly as he walked down the gangplank to join them, Trina following close behind.

Tori simply nodded before turning to face them. "Alright so we might be here for a little while, just until things blow over a little. Beck probably knows I'm here but even he isn't stupid enough to attack this place, and royal navy aren't exactly welcome. So until such time as I deem it safe, we'll be enjoying the hospitality of Tortuga."

A general mumble of consent passed between the small group. However as Tori shifted her gaze back toward the walkway she saw something that made her frown. Two rather large men, both with cutlass strapped to their sides and pistols in their belts, were making their way toward the ship. Tori shot both Andre and Robbie a look and they nodded showing that they understood. As Tori stepped forward to meet the men both the engineer and first mate drew their weapons; Andre unsheathing the cutlass at his belt and Robbie pulling a flintlock from within his jumper.

When the Two men were mere feet away they stopped and simply stood where they were, blocking the walkway out of the hanger. They were both exactly identical to each other in every regard. Both men stood at roughly six feet tall, and completely bald. Their faces were piggish and crude, with squinty eyes and large mouths like frogs. Their dress was even the same, wearing leather jerkins and bracers on their arms and identical belts hung around their waist. Everything down to their black leather boots was similar. The only difference being the one on the left sported jagged scars on his cheeks, as though someone had taken to drawing on his face with a blade.

Despite their menacing appearance the first thought that crossed Tori's mind happened to also be the first words out of her mouth. "Well looks like we have Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee."

The men glanced at each other before looking back to Tori; the effect was rather… unsettling.

The one with the scars- Tori decided he would be Dum- spoke first. "You are rather difficult to find Captain Vega." He said. His voice was a rasp rumble.

The second- he would Dee- chimed in, "Yes, and that is not always a good thing." It was almost unnatural how alike they sounded.

Tori's frown deepened as Dum spoke again, "That and our employer Mr. Fisk would like a word with you. Apparently he seems to believe that you owe him."

Tori's frown deepened into an angry scowl, "Tell Fisk that I already paid him back and then some, I don't owe him anything."

Both Dum and Dee looked at each other and smiled. "Well you see Miss Vega that is not how he sees it. From what he seems to believe you still owe him more and he expects… compensation for the lateness." Dee said, running his gaze down Tori's body.

Tori's eye twitched as she saw the man eyeing her like a piece of meat. Without thinking she drew her pistol and aimed it at the man's head. "Tell your boss," she cocked the hammer of the flintlock, "to go eat shit, I don't owe him anything."

The two men glanced at each other before shrugging. "Very well Miss Vega, if you would ignore Mr. Fisk's generous offer that is your problem. But if you refuse to listen very well." Dum said, smile still in place.

"Have a nice day." Dee said with an identical smile.

The two men proceeded to walk away; however as they left they both called out in unison, "We did warn you Captain Vega, don't forget that."

Tori watched them walk away until they were out of sight before sticking her pistol back into her belt. "Well… that was creepy." Trina said from behind Tori.

"That's one word for it." Tori grunted before letting out a tired sigh. "Not here even five minutes and I already feel like I need a drink." She mumbled.

"So who is the Fisk guy?" Robbie asked, confusion evident his voice.

"Some lowlife who thinks he can rule the world. Guy is an idiot but he did me a favor once, but I paid him back so if he tries anything like this again… his men are going back in pieces."

Turning back to look at her little group Tori spoke, "Alright, since we're going to be here for a little while, go and do what you like, but no getting into anything that results in me having to bail your collective asses out." Everyone nodded before except Robbie.

"What about Sikowitz?" He asked.

"Oh he'll be fine, he isn't exactly defenseless you know. We'll just bring him some coconuts when we get back and he'll be fine." Tori said with a smirk.

Robbie simply shrugged before heading out after Trina who had already begun to walk toward the exit. Tori turned to glance at Andre who hadn't moved.

She raised an eyebrow at him, "Someone has to make sure you follow you own advice you know." He said with a cheeky grin.

Tori let out a laugh before nodding her head, "Fair enough, let's go."

As they began to walk Andre asked, "I assume we are going for drinks."

"Nope, better." Tori responded with a devious grin.

"Oh, and what would that be?" Andre asked, curious as to what would best the captain's love of alcohol.

He was temporarily denied a response as they exited the dark of the hanger to the sunshine of the outside. However the light did little more than reveal the filth of the city itself. The ground was covered in dirt and mud, with puddles of scum littering the roads. People dressed from rags to riches strode up and down the streets, pushing, shoving, and squeezing past each other as they moved down the streets. Groups of street urchins eyed ladies' bags and jewelry as well as the coin purses of all who passed by, while peddlers shouted their wares. A small boy who had a large cut across his lip seemed to eye Tori's coin purse, however she shot him a withering glare that had him running back to the rest of his gang.

The houses and building that littered the streets varied greatly, some being in almost respectable shape whilst other appeared on the verge of collapse. Bars and taverns in various locations around the docks sported signs advertising their food and drink. All the while drunks and beggars hugged the walls and gutters, crying out for food and money. However both Tori and Andre ignored this; it was a sight that they were all too familiar with.

"Well Andre, there is only one thing better than a bar, a brothel." Tori said with a smile as they began to move down the crowded street.

Andre let out a laugh; he had been expecting something along those lines. "Oh really and here I was thinking your only true love was booze. I suppose that you have a place in mind then?"

Tori scowled at him before responding, "Damn it Andre I am twenty five don't chastise me I know how this shit works, and yes I do have a place in mind as it would happen." She growled, feeling a slight bit of irritation at her first mate, who was clearly enjoying poking at her.

"This place has a name I take it?"

"Yes, La Femme Rouge." Tori said, her grin returning.

Andre simply rolled his eyes, a grin plastered on his face. This was going to be an interesting stay.

* * *

The shriek of grinding metal jolted Cat from her dreamless sleep. Glancing around her she saw that Lane had already awoken and had both of their bags set by the door. He was glancing out the window, apparently watching whatever was causing the metallic shriek. Cat pushed herself up in the hammock and stretched causing her various joints to crack back into place. Getting out of the hammock Cat felt the ship pull to a halt, the thud of boots and voices ringing from above confirmed the assumption.

"Sleep well?"

Cat turned to see that Lane had noticed her and had turned to look at her, a question evident in his eyes.

"Yep, I slept fine. I also don't need any more before you ask." She said, answering the question that she knew he would ask.

"I didn't ask, but if you say so." Lane said attempting to smile, but she could see the worry in his face.

"Could you stop looking at me like that?" Cat asked with a sigh.

"Like what?"

"Like I've got some sort of disease, like I could fall apart at any minute without those drugs in me. I hate it when I get that look, so just stop it… ok?"

Lane raised his hand in mock surrender but his face still showed concern. "Ok have it your way, just let me know if you need anything though."

Cat nodded her head before grabbing her bag; they had been told to only bring what they would need but to also expect more than a few days searching for their target. The end result was only a single back pack worth of supplies and only a single change of clothes. Seeing as how the navy wasn't exactly welcome in the city it wasn't the best of idea to be walking around in their uniforms. As such both were dressed in street clothing that wouldn't attract any undue attention.

"This stuff is itchy." Cat grumbled as they walked to the upper deck.

She was referring to the less than extravagant clothing that they had been supplied. However in Cat's opinion she had gotten the short end of the stick in terms of clothing. While Lane had gotten a simple pair of black trouser and a cotton shirt that was some shade of green that didn't look healthy, Cat was forced to deal with other problems. One of the first things that she had been forced to wear when she joined the Navy was a wrap. For Cat, being forced to wrap her chest was bad enough but Beck had been kind enough to get her a wrap made of silk, mostly in order to avoid her current problem. This one however was made from the roughest cotton Cat had ever felt. Not to mention the fact that wrapping her chest hurt most of the time due simply to the fact she was attempting to flatten her breasts, which wasn't pleasant in any sense.

Other than this however had been the man issuing the clothing, for he had attempted to give Cat a dress. She had stared at him until she was certain the man was about to have a panic attack before pointing out the fact that she could not run in a dress. Stammering an apology the man had provided her with a similar outfit to Lane, the only difference, hers consisted of blue trousers instead of black. She desperately hoped they looked convincing otherwise they would be killed faster than anyone could blink. Being navy in Tortuga was like being a pirate in Bastion, it was a bad idea.

Despite the threat of death looming over them should they be discovered, Cat was in a much better mood after leaving the small cabin of the ship. However her elation dimmed slightly as they exited the merchant vessel, for docked not even two hundred yards from them was the ship that Vega had escaped in, the Holly Wood. Placing a hand on the hilt of her cutlass she began to walk down the gangplank, eyes fixed on the ship gently floating ahead of her. However she stopped when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"That's not a good idea." Lane said softly from behind her before taking his hand off her shoulder.

Cat looked at him confusion evident on her face, "Why not?"

Lane raised an eyebrow at her before responding. "For one we don't exactly know who is on that ship. If we walk in their unprepared and without a plan then we could just end up being slaughtered. We are dealing with a ruthless pirate who has evaded us for almost three years. Treating this carefully would be wise."

"Oh. Uhh yeah, that's a good idea. So do you have a plan then?" Cat asked with a slightly embarrassed laugh.

Lane smiled, "As a matter of fact I do. Now we know that Vega has a crew with her and she most likely left some of them on her ship to guard it, but by the looks of it her crew is loyal or as loyal as pirates get." Lane began to walk toward the exit to the hanger. "So the plan is we get Vega alone, bag and grab her, and then we head back to their ship. We use their captain as a bargaining chip, force them to leave the hanger and from there we can get to the rendezvous where Beck has some men waiting."

"So the only thing we have to do now is to find the Captain right?" Cat asked.

"That's the plan, though easier said than done. I have no idea how were supposed to find her." Lane said with a sigh.

Cat let a smile wash over her face, "Actually it's probably a lot easier than we think. I mean we are in a city full of spies and watchmen, somebody has to have seen her leave this place. We find one of them, we find Captain Vega."

Lane nodded as the duo stepped out into the light of the morning sun. The streets full of noise and movement, although Cat's nose creased at the smell assaulting her nose. The odor of human waste and filth lay heavy on the streets. However no one spared them a second glance so that worked to slightly relieve Cat's worries on being discovered.

"We should split up in order to cover more ground, meet me at our inn in when it gets dark. Keep your sword handy, this place isn't called the pirate's bay for nothing." Lane said as he began to walk down the steps leading to the hanger.

Cat nodded as she watched him walk down the street. She was glad he trusted her enough to leave her on her own; she hoped her urges didn't get the better of her though. She would hate to have to be dragged out of some sort of drug den because she couldn't control her addiction. She began to walk down the street leading deeper into the city, she had no idea where she was headed but Cat was confident on her ability to find her way back if need be. Glancing up at the sky she smiled as a few wispy clouds flew overhead, however she was jolted from her day dream by someone running into her. Reflexively she reached out and seized the person around the neck, wrapping her arm around them in a head lock.

"Lemme go damn it!" A voice cried out.

Cat blinked down at the person she had seized in confusion. She had managed to grab a very scruffy looking boy, no more than ten years old, with a large scar across his lips. The child continued to struggle but to no avail as Cat tightened her grip on his throat. Looking down the red head spotted a leather coin purse in the boy's hand. Checking her side she noted that the only thing that remained of her purse was a cut pair of leather strings.

"Let go of me you crazy bitch!" He cried out again. Despite his shouting no one in the packed street even stopped to glance at them.

"Coins." Cat said simply drawing her flintlock from her belt and pressing it to the boy's back.

He quickly gave up the purse, and Cat noted with some amusement that he had gone extremely pale.

"Better." She said with a smile, turning him around but still keeping a firm grasp on his shoulder.

He mumbled something into his worn wool coat that the red-head could not hear. "What was that?" Cat asked kindly all the while pointing the flintlock at him.

"I said that I 'ave the worst luck ever, first that scary woman with a sword and now a crazy bitch with a gun." He said sullenly, not looking at Cat.

At the mention of a woman with a sword Cat perked up, "Woman with a sword? What did she look like?"

The boy glared at her making his scar twist in a grotesque manner. "I aint telling you nothing."

"These change your mind?" Cat asked pulling a pair of golden pence out of her reacquired coin purse.

The boy's eyes widened at the sight of the coins and gave her a toothy grin, revealing his missing front teeth. He nodded ecstatically as Cat handed him the coins.

"She was real pretty, all tan and stuff with this long hair, bandana too. Oh and she had this big scary guy with her, dreads and a sword, nasty guy you ask me." He said cheerfully.

Cat nearly laughed at his sudden exuberance. "You got a name kid?"

"Yeah, Mathew but everyone calls me Stich cause of my scar and how it had all the stiches in it when the doc patched me up." Max replied happily. He was obviously much happier now that he was no longer in danger of being killed.

A sly look went over his face, "Yah know, for another couple pence, I could maybe tell yah were she went to."

Cat looked at him intently before handing him another three pence "Alright, and where would she be?"

Stich grabbed the coins greedily, stuffing them in the pockets of his ragged trousers. "She went to one them whore house, had a funny name. They call it La Femme Rouge."

'Why would she be at a whore house?' Cat wondered before a though entered her mind that caused her to blush vividly. Cat coughed several times, and shook her head. Now was not the time to be theorizing what may or may not be happening.

"Want me to take you there?" He asked with a grin.

"Lead the way." Cat said before waving the boy ahead of her.

'With any luck this could be over before it even starts', Cat thought with a were finally looking up.

* * *

**ok so that was that. If you are wondering why I suddenly stuck OOCs in its because Victorious simply doesn't have enough character In it for me to work with so I have to improvise. Apologies if you find this annoying.**

**anyhow, review and all that jazz.**


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